Just some Zutara drabbles
by BriBri19
Summary: My collection of completely random drabbles of the best ATLA fanship: Zutara!


Hi to any lovely person that reads my drabbles! I'm Charlotte! NOT Bri!

Will try to write as many drabbles as I can and update them often!  
Hope you enjoy!

- Charlotte -

Scar

Katara had learnt a lot about Zuko since they'd first met. She'd learnt that was he the banished prince of Fire Nation. His sister Azula was a deranged, blue firebending psychopath. And that he loved his uncle very much. There was one thing Katara didn't know about Zuko. How did he get his scar?

It was the first thing she'd noticed the first day she'd met him. At her home, in the South Pole where he first found Aang. Unlike most people who met the banished prince, Katara was not repulsed by the fiery red blemish. She did not cringe or look away nervously when he caught her staring at it. No. Katara was simply intrigued by it. Actually, Katara thought it gave the prince a very attractive edge. Not that she would admit it to anyone. _Ever._

'How did he get it?' It was a question that often weaved its way into her thoughts. Although it remained unanswered.  
Since Zuko had found them at the air temple, and offered Aang his services as a firebending teacher, Katara had found herself asking the same question several times a day.

The Duke, Teo, Aang and Toph had turned into bed half an hour ago. Haru, Sokka and Suki were only just leaving for their rooms.

Katara cautiously lifted her gaze to the prince, who sat against a fallen column on the other side of the blazing fire. She suppressed a giggle as she watched the princes' body slump backwards against the column roughly as he fell into slumber.

_'You could do it now you know'_ Kataras' conscience whispered to her. _'No, it's wrong. It's invading his personal space.'_ Her rational side argued. _'Go on, you know you want to. And he's asleep. He won't know.'_ Her conscience retorted challengingly. Her rational side made no attempt to argue.

Slowly and silently Katara crept across the orange campfire, making her way to the sleeping prince. _'This is wrong; this is so, so wrong.'_ Her rational side began to panic. _'Relax; he won't know. He's asleep remember? Just one little touch is all. Then we'll leave him alone.'_ Her conscience assured them both.

Finally Katara knelt next to the gently snoring prince. His face was illuminated by the orange glow of the fire. His scar itself looked as though it were on fire. She smiled as the prince subconsciously blew a stray hair away from his face. _'He looks so innocent.'_ she thought to herself. _'Maybe he's not so bad after all.'_

She rested her hand on his scar, her fingertips gently tracing the red mark that surrounded his left eye. It felt surprisingly soft and smooth, unlike what she had expected.

Suddenly a large, pale hand enclosed around her wrist, holding her firmly in place. Her fearful, cerulean eyes were met by those of intense molten gold

She fell backwards in surprise and embarrassment from being caught touching his scar.

"What were you doing?" Zuko growled at her, eying her suspiciously. Katara tried to fight the furious blush that was rapidly creeping on her cheeks. "Um, well... I was touching your scar." She managed to murmur, refusing to look at the prince. "Why?" Zuko asked quietly, looking at her suspiciously.

Katara finally managed to lift her gaze to meet Zuko's. His burning gold eyes seemed to pierce her azure orbs. Staring right into her soul. A deep fuchsia blush began to form on her cheeks again as she began to explain.  
"The first time I saw you, in the South Pole. The first thing I noticed about you was your scar." She muttered, feigning interest in a fraying pierce of fabric on her tunic. She could literally 'feel' Zukos' glare as she slowly continued. "And every time we met, I was strangely fascinated by it. What the story behind it was. How you got it. And I've always had this underlying urge to just reach out and," Katara paused as she spoke her last words. "And touch it" she whispered, turning her body away to stare into the slowly dying fire, bringing her knees to her chest and resting her head upon them.

"You're not repulsed by it?" Zuko asked, surprise obvious in his voice. Katara turned her head to look at him. "Not at all." She offered a small smile, one even Zuko couldn't help but return. "Do you know how I got it?" He asked quietly, a faint pink blush colouring his ivory cheeks. Katara only shook her head in reply. "Would you like to know?" Zuko asked sheepishly, the pink blush deepening in colour at his words. "Yes please" Katara whispered as she sat in front of the prince, somewhat oblivious to the pink blush on his cheeks.

Zuko took a deep breath and began his story. Right from the beginning.

"The Fire Lord, my Father; had a war meeting with several high ranking generals to discuss plans and tactics in the war. I was thirteen at the time, and pleaded with Uncle to let me in with him. At first Uncle refused, and tried to convince me not to go in. But I wanted to please my father, be the perfect son and convinced him to let me in. I had no idea what to expect, but my father and another general were discussing a plan to send in a large group of trainee fire nation soldiers into an earth kingdom city. It was something along the lines of a suicide mission... the soldiers would all die at the hands of the elite earth kingdom soldiers. And in a small moment of anger, I spoke against the generals' plot. I told them all that the soldiers were loyal to the Fire Nation, and didn't deserve to die in such a way. The general was offended and declared an Agni Kai, a fire duel, for speaking out against him. And I accepted without hesitation." Zuko paused to look at Katara, who was sitting in front of him with her legs crossed, hands in her lap, giving him the utmost of attention. "Go on." Katara urged quietly, offering another small smile.

Two days after the war meeting I went to the arena where the Agni Kai was to be held. I waited patiently for the general to arrive. But he did not show up. And then I looked to the sidelines, where hundreds of people looked on at me with anticipation. I noticed the general standing tall and smirking at me viciously. Then I saw my father stand before me, in his fighting uniform. I asked him what was going on. Why I wasn't facing the general. "You spoke out in my war room Zuko. You disgraced me in front of the council, and now you must be punished." He'd said with no mercy in his voice. "Oh my La" he heard Katara exclaim under her breath.

"And so I begged him for mercy. I pleaded to him on my knees to stop. The last thing I remember him saying to him was "And suffering will be your teacher." And then I braced myself the red fire drew closer and closer to my face. I still remember my scream. My pain as the flesh was ripped from my face. I passed out after the flames had ceased... and woke up in my room five days later, with Uncle at my bedside. I remember him looking at me with such pity and disgrace as I sat up at touched my face. It was bandaged. Uncle told me not to touch the bandages, that I wouldn't be able to stand what was underneath. I didn't listen of course, and he was right as usual.

I was informed that I was banished, and the only way I could return home and restore my honour was by catching the avatar.  
And well, you know the rest from there." Zuko took a deep breath; surprised he had revealed his story to the water tribe peasant who he thought despised him.

He looked at Katara once again to see she was in tears, and rapidly wiping the clear drops from her cheeks. "Why are you crying?" Zuko asked gruffly, frowning at her deeply. He didn't want or need her sympathy. He convinced himself he only told her his story to get the peasant away from him. But deep down he knew he had wanted to tell her.

"I'm, I'm so sorry Zuko." Katara murmured between her sobs, still fighting the relentless surge of tears. "Save it Katara, I don't want your pity." He muttered as he stood up angrily. "This is just a pity party anyway isn't it? You pretend to care and then tomorrow you don't so much as pass a glance at me. That's all this isn't it Katara?! He screamed her name in frustration before collapsing on the ground in a heap, grabbing his knees and pulling them close to his chest.

Katara watched sadly as his shoulders began to rise and fall with each sob. Cautiously Katara scooted her way closer to the sobbing firebender. She looked at him silently, pondering over her thoughts. _'He's been hurt so much. Physically and mentally. No one deserves what he's been through. His own father... burnt him. What a monster!_' Katara fought to keep her surging anger down before deciding to make a move.

She slid her fingers underneath his pale chin, his tears slowly sliding down his ivory jaw onto her fingertips. She gently placed her other hand on his cheek to hold his head and make him look at her. "I'm sorry for all you've had to go through Zuko. What the Fire Nation, what your Father has done to you. You didn't deserve any of it. What you did was admirable. You stood up for what you thought was right. As any honourable prince should do." She paused before continuing.

"Your Father is a horrible man Zuko, and he doesn't deserve to have a son as great as you. You deserve more than that. She moved her hand slowly upwards from his cheek up to his scar. His golden eyes, puffy and red from crying stared into her oceanic orbs silently. Just watching her, listening to every word she spoke, searching for any lies. He found none.

"Never be ashamed of a scar Zuko. It shows you are stronger than whatever tried to hurt you." Katara smiled gently as she reached up onto her knees and placed a faint kiss on his scar, underneath his eye. "This, right here Zuko is your honour." She said evenly, tracing his scar gently with her thumb. "You can't regain what you never lost" she whispered as she lowered herself on her knees and into a sitting position once more.

Zuko merely looked at her in silence. _'Every word she said. Everything she said was sincere.'_ He realised. No one, not even Iroh had offered such comfort to him before. Not since his mother had left.

Katara knelt in uncomfortable silence, watching the prince who had stopped crying as she has kissed his scar.

Before she knew what was happening, Zukos' arms were wrapped around her, holding her as close to his body as he dared. He felt her flinch at his touch slightly, before easing into it and embraced him back. "Do you mean it?" He whispered in her ear. Tightening his grip around her waist. "Did I mean what?" Katara asked confusedly as she pulled her head back to look at the firebender. "When you said I couldn't regain what I never lost. Do you mean it?" his voice was almost a whimper. Katara had never seen him look so vulnerable. It broke her heart to see him upset. "Yes I meant it. Every word." She murmured, tucking her head in a nook of Zuko's chest until she was comfortable.

"Katara?" Zuko asked as he lifted her head. "Yes?" Katara replied, fatigue beginning to set in, her voice was hushed and gentle. "I," Zuko stuttered. "Iluvyu" he blurted out in embarrassment. "I'm sorry? I didn't quite get that." Katara said looking at the prince in confusion. Zuko heaved a deep breath before trying again. "Katara. I love you." He said evenly, looking down at her cautiously. Just waiting for a reply.

Her body stiffened at his words. _'He loves me?'_ she asked herself. '_Surely this is a joke. Zuko, a prince of the world's most deadly nation is in love with me? Me, Katara, a mere peasant from a dying tribe? Whoa.'_

"Uhm, Zuko. I, I don't know what to say." Katara stuttered, looking at the prince with a confused look on her tanned face.  
"Say that you love me too." Zuko pleaded, grabbing her hand and holding it to his chest. _'I don't know what I feel. There's definitely something I feel for him, but what is it? I'm not ready for this. What about Aang... it would break him. He's liked me for so long. But he's like a little brother to me... What's the point when I could die tomorrow? There's a war around us after all... I can't do it.'_

"Zuko, I can't." Katara said, her voice strained as she spoke. _'But I think I do love him. But there's more important things to worry about than a relationship right now.'_ Yes, her conscience had decided everything for her. But how was she supposed to go from there?  
Zuko looked at her, pain on his face. Katara watched as a silvery tear leaked from the corner of his scarred eye. "I understand." He muttered as he lifted her off his lap. "It's this isn't it?" he pointed to his scar. _'After telling him I'm not disgusted by it. After telling him he was honourable... that his scar __**was**__ his honour. He still thinks it's a problem?!'_ Katara thought furiously at his words. She fought to contain her annoyance as she spoke to him again. "No Zuko, it's far from your scar." She said through clenched teeth, fighting the urge to scream at him for not believing her. "Whatever." He growled as he stooped away into the shadows.

"Ugh, you are so infuriating! I tell you I'm not at all repulsed by it, I tell you not to be ashamed of it. That your mark _is_ your honour, and you think I'm lying? That your scar is a problem to me? What in La's name is wrong with you?! She screamed in the direction he'd taken his leave. There was no reply to her outburst.

"I hate this." Katara sobbed as she watched the fires gentle glowing, dying embers. "Why don't you understand? You're perfect just the way you are." She whispered before letting more tears flow from her eyes, "Why can't you see that you're beautiful?"

Zuko sat in the shadows somewhat 20 metres away from the crying Katara. "Why can't you see that you're beautiful?" her voice echoed in the silence of the temple. Her words made his heart melt. She couldn't be staging it when she didn't know he was still there.  
"Do you really think so?" he asked from the shadows, his voice husky and smooth.

Katara jolted at the sound of his voice. "Where are you?" she asked as she wiped her tears.  
Zuko crept from the shadows behind her to kneel next to her. "I'm right here." He whispered into her ear. Katara felt her cheeks brighten uncontrollably, but didn't try to hide it. She threw herself into his arms, wrapping her own around his neck.

The prince responded quickly, tightening his hold around her waist, and breathing in her sweet scent. Katara pulled her head away and let go of his neck, only to gently grasp his face. "You have no idea how beautiful you are Zuko." She whispered, bowing her head closer to his. "Likewise," he murmured before crashing his lips onto hers.

_

That's the first drabble! What did you think? R&R Please!  
- Charlotte -


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